Crane Worldwide invests in new space, staff after winning contract

Crane Worldwide Logistics expects to increase its business significantly after winning a major contract with an unnamed oilfield services company.

The Houston-based logistics company has leased a 150,000-square-foot warehouse and office space in east Houston and has plans to increase its staff by about 15 percent since winning the contract.

Crane President John Magee told the Houston Business Journal that the company intends to use its new space, at 6501 Navigation, solely for the new contract. The space is intended to handle large, oversize pieces of equipment that can be shipped out of the Port of Houston.

Crane is also planning on leasing or buying a second space in May to serve the contract company. The second space likely will be about half the size of the first and be located in north Houston, Magee said.

In addition to the new space, Crane expects to add 30 to 40 new employees to its existing payroll of about 250 to work at the new facilities. The company has already hired about 20 of these employees.

“It’s a great contract in a collaboration to change some of (the oilfield service company’s) supply chain strategy,” Magee said.

Crane is not the only Houston logistics company expanding its space. Due to the oil and gas industry boom, multiple logistics companies are entering or expanding their energy services businesses.